Lullaby of a Soldier
by Masterfanfic2013
Summary: It's been ten years since the Original Rangers heard from Kimberly Hart. When they meet at a reunion, how can they cope with an old friend who's changed drastically?


**This may seem out of the blue, I know I have to finish** ** _Searching For The Truth_** **, but I had Writer's Block (again). Therefore, I needed to take a break from** ** _SFTT_** **and my brain decided to go whack and I had a random dream seeing Kimberly Hart see her friends again, but she has a prosthetic leg; so I went: '** ** _Why not play around with that_** **'? And here is the prologue to the new story I decided to write.**

 **I hope you like!p it! Enjoy!**

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 _"One more dance along the razor's edge finished._

 _Almost dead yesterday, maybe dead tomorrow, but alive, gloriously alive, today."_

\- Robert Jordan

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Prologue: Injured

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Legend:

 _Italics/Underline: Time/Week/Day/Date Change_

 _Italics: Thoughts (No POV only)_

 **Bold: Flashbacks/Nightmares**

 ** _Bold/Italics: Flashback within Flashback_**

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 _Time: 1500 (15:00/GMT +4:30)…_

 _Time: 0330 (3:30/GMT -7)…_

 _Thursday…_

 _Date: 12th February 2005…_

( _Scene: Afghanistan, Middle East, Earth_ / _No POV_ )

Removing the cover from the tent entrance, a young woman, standing at five foot five and looking to be in her late twenties, stepped out in her full combat uniform and carrying her helmet in the blistering heat. Her caramel brown hair was tied back in a tight ponytail, on her uniform sewed to the right was the symbol of her position or rank in the US Army, her position was First Lieutenant, it feels like a lifetime ago since she was promoted. On the pocket of her jacket, sewn on in black thread was her surname: Hart. Her full name is Kimberly Hart and she is a woman of many things, things her comrades don't know, like she was the first Pink Ranger that protected the Earth, but that feels so long ago. Kimberly handed over her position as Pink Ranger to Katherine Hilliard so she could go to Florida to train under Gunther Schmidt to become a professional gymnast. Going to Florida felt like the biggest mistake of her life, a part of her felt angry for leaving, another part of her felt cruelly angry at Tommy for letting her get on that plane. No one wanted to stop her from achieving her dream, even though they did wish that she wouldn't leave, but they still told her to go, because they didn't want her resenting them. After a year of training in Schmidt's compound, Kimberly felt her love for gymnastics fade, Tommy was too busy to call her and she felt they were drifting from each other. To save heartache, she wrote a cold breakup letter and had it sent to the Youth Centre, that was back in nineteen-ninety-six. When ninety-seven rolled around, she finally got a break from gymnastics and accompanied Jason back to Angel Grove, much to her dismay to help him out at Little Angel's Orphanage. Of course, even when being a former ranger, it somehow manages to catch up to her, which resulted in both her and her brother figure being captured by a Space Pirate named Divatox.

Both Jason and herself were used as sacrifices to a lava demon named Maligore, who was imprisoned on the supposed to be lost island of Muranthias. It seemed like only those pure of heart can release Maligore from his prison. In the nick of time, Tommy and his team, sporting new ranger powers came to their rescue, but it wasn't enough. Jason and Kim were lowered into the pit, instead of being literally sacrificed, Maligore turned them into his children, to do his bidding. The two fought against their friends, Maligore released some buried anger from Kim and she used that anger to attack Kat and even Tommy. Thankfully, Lerigot was successful in freeing Jason and herself from the lave demon's control. After that, against her wishes, the former Red Ranger convinced his little sister to come to the match, which she did. Kimberly planned on telling Tommy the reason why she wrote the letter to him, but seeing Kat run down and him kissing her on the cheek, it hurt her greatly. Tommy moved on and there was no need to give him closure, Kimberly decided to get the earliest possible plane back to Florida, disappearing from her friends like she was nothing more than a ghost. She chose to run. Fast forward, Kim was feeling she wasn't up to the cut throat world of competitive gymnastics and so, despite Gunther's pleas, she turned in her resignation from the team and left no evidence of her presence in the compound. With nothing else mind, she needed purpose again, Kimberly wanted to keep the world safe again and so, she decided to enlist in the US Army, that was early nineteen-ninety-eight.

Passing the medical and fitness exams, the perks of gymnastics and being a former Power Ranger, even the interviews after sorting out her Curriculum Vitae, Kimberly was in as a fresh recruit, a non-commissioned soldier. Living in the compound felt no different to being in the gymnastics compound. The males and females were split into different dorms, only mixing together for food and training. Kimberly was one of ten female recruits and the rest were men, thankfully everyone here is taught respect, there was no form of harassment; no judgement, except from the Drill Sergeant, it actually felt like heaven. Sure, training was tough, some tears spilling and bruises here and there, but over the training days, they all became closer, they became family. It was family Kimberly missed, the same form of family she had with her friends. It wasn't long before Kimberly found herself commissioned, her new friends had family over, Hart was the only soldier who didn't invite anyone, because she never told anyone, even her mom and stepfather that she joined the army. It made some of her comrades worried about her state of mental health, but she just shrugged it off. She didn't have to wait long before she was sent on her first tour of duty, her first twelve month deployment and it was to Afghanistan. Throughout her seven years of service, Kimberly served seven deployments and the rest in between were serving on the barracks training new recruits or even getting a lucky day off or two.

Taking her mind off the past and bringing it back into the now, Kimberly slung her M-16A2 (M-16) Assault Rifle over her shoulder and made sure her M-9 Pistol was safe and secure in her gun holster. These are no laser arms that she used to wield, but as an ordinary human, they get the job done. Placing on her shades, then her combat helmet, First Lieutenant Hart approached her Captain, saluting him, and he returned it. Beside her was Second Lieutenant Jones, the first friend she made during training back in the barracks. When alone or not on duty, the two are pretty lax on formalities. Grace is a wonderful friend to have and kept her somewhat grounded, she's like Trini and Aisha, with a small bit of Kat in her. The thought did sort of pain Kimberly, with the idea she has a living reminder of her old friends' personalities. They would be often seen in the yard at the dawn, sparring with each other and nine times out of ten, Kim knocks her to the ground. Before the Captain started his debriefing, the two greeted each other with their ' _handshake_ '. They were often teased by their male comrades that they act like an old married couple.

"Y'know Hart, I am going to get the pin on you in a spar soon." She grinned,

"After the prank you pulled on me yesterday with the air horn? I think not Second Lieutenant Jones." First Lieutenant Hart slagged,

"Touché, First Lieutenant Hart." Grace replied, in the same tone as her friend, who's a rank higher than her. The two went silent when Captain Martin, his full name George Martin, began to debrief them all. Kim listened closely, it seems like it's another peace keeping duty doubling as a supply run for the victims of the war, driving out to the broken cities and checking on the survivors. They were also told to hand out the today's relief supplies they received yesterday. The rebels would be active, sometimes in plain sight, so they had to keep their guard up, the fight in Afghanistan start four years ago, all because the Taliban and the Al Qaeda forces wouldn't surrender Osama Bin Laden. He was killed thanks to the Navy Seal's mission, but what truly started the whole war was because of the attack on the Twin Towers on the eleventh of September. Two planes crashed into the towers, sending them both tumbling and killing innocent civilians. With the debriefing finished, Kimberly was assigned to Truck Two, along with Jones and some of the other soldiers who were below their ranks. Jones made a joke with Hart that they seem to be getting landed with each other more and more often, and if it keeps going, they might as well get married, making the First Lieutenant laugh and smack her head. Kim promised when this is done, they'll spar.

Once the trucks were loaded and they all heard the side of the vehicle bang, everything was good to go. The roads were swept five hours ago, then an hour ago once more, making sure any Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were found and deactivated. Those bombs would be considered every soldiers worse nightmare, and there are stories to prove it. Some are lucky to survive them, others not and some who survive have lost a limb or two, lost their hearing. It is a deadly device and are commonly found along the roads. The trip to the city would take two hours and some soldiers don't exactly like the silence. One decided to make small talk with his First Lieutenant.

"First Lieutenant Hart," Kim perked her head upon hearing her name. "I was wondering, you don't have to answer but… don't you receive anything in the mail? Even a care box?" Secrets are not kept hidden in the army, a place of brother and sisterhood. They're all family and they are just trying to look out for each other. Mail from families and friends are the reason the soldiers here keep going, they are a source of their strength, they worth more than gold or diamond. Some wonder if their First Lieutenant don't receive anything, what gives her the strength to keep going? Stubbornness? Pure willpower? Who knows.

"No." She looked down to figure out his rank and name. She saw the identification of rank and managed to catch sight of his surname. "Specialist Callaghan. No one knows I have joined the army. I simply phased out of their lives." Kimberly was trying hard to keep her face straight, she couldn't afford to cry while on a mission.

"Not even friends?" Callaghan asked nervously. While some of the soldiers made no emotion to her answer, it made them silently angry why none of her old friends tried to contact her or why they pulled away from her. Something must have happened that caused their First Lieutenant to drift from her friends and family back home.

"I phased out of their lives too. Anyway, they're better off without me." Suddenly, there was explosion from outside, causing the driver to screech to a halt. It nearly sent some of the soldiers, even Kimberly almost flying off her seat, had Specialist Callaghan not caught her. Getting themselves together, everyone had their arms ready at a moment's notice, all waiting for their First Lieutenant's orders. Kim turned to the driver. "What's going on!?" She demanded,

"An IED went off! Lead truck gone!" He screeched,

"That's impossible! This area was swept one hour ago!" Kim turned back to her comrades. "Fuck! They missed one!" The explosion was followed by gunfire, the rebels have ambushed them. "Split up in fours and provide covering fire to protect the remaining trucks. Move it, soldiers!" Leaping out, Kim armed herself with her M-16 and Grace stood beside her. Finding cover and a vantage point, they began to open fire on the enemy, putting pressure on them. _"So much for a peaceful mission."_ Kim thought bitterly. Both sides continued to fight, it appeared the rebels were feeling the pressure and some began to retreat. Without warning, a grenade was beside Grace, neither even heard it thud against the soft sand and Kim thought fast. Without a word, Kimberly grabbed her friend and threw her away before she could say anything. In that split second, Kim managed to move, but was caught the blast radius of the grenade, she felt heat, pain, her senses suddenly dulled and before she hit the sandy ground, she blacked out, just as Grace screamed:

"KIMBERLY!"

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 **Well, that's a cliffhanger I'm leaving. It's something new, should I keep going with it? What do you guys think of it? Honestly this was written out of trying to clear blasted Writer's Block. If you really do like it, leave a Follow, Favourite and if you have something to say or some criticism, leave a comment or just drop a PM.**

 **Bye!**


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